If you saw my post about our laundry room statement wall, you saw how we ripped some cedar 1x2s to transform one of the walls. I just happened to have some wood left over from that, which is how this door mat project came to life!
If you were to see our garage, it looks like a bomb went off in a mini home improvement store. There is so much random wood lying around and we are ALWAYS saying that we need to organize it or get rid of stuff.That plus my minor hoarding tendencies… I am always trying to find ways to use spare wood.
Since it’s summertime, the back patio area has been on the forefront of my mind, so I knew I wanted to make something that could be used out there. With 3 kids and two large dogs, I immediately thought of throwing out our old tattered door mat and building something more sturdy!
What you need:
- 6 cedar boards 1x2x6′ (you can use any wood you like)
- Table Saw
- Brad Nailer
- Exterior wood sealer
- old t-shirt or cloth for applying the wood sealer
What you do:
This door mat ends up measuring 30″x 20′, so you will first be cutting and ripping the cedar 1x2s into the slats that you’ll need.
Ripping means to cut a piece of wood parallel to the grain (long ways). Hence why you need a table saw. I don’t even know if it’s possible, but it would be a nightmare to try and rip wood with a miter saw!
For this project you need 20 pieces of ripped wood that measures 30 inches. (So, for 1 piece that’s 6 feet long, you’ll get 4 ripped slats.)
For the ends, you’ll need 2 pieces of ripped wood that measure 20 inches.
**Save one of the left over pieces that you have to use for spacing the slats!!
Now is the fun part!
Once you have all of your wood ripped and the correct measurements, now is the fun part! Bust out your brad nailer and get to it! I first built the frame of the door mat by nailing one of the 20 inch pieces perpendicular to the end of one of your 30 inch pieces. Then repeat until you have your exterior rectangle shape.
Next, grab your spacer piece and place it flush against one of your 30 inch pieces. Place your first slat next to that, and nail through the side to secure it to the 20 inch piece! Slide your spacer piece to the other end of that same slat, and nail the other end. Repeat this 19 more times and you have your mat!
Last step is to seal it to protect it from the sun or animals or kids spilling Lord knows what on it. I like to use an old t-shirt to apply sealer, but you can always use a brush or sponge if you’d like.
How’s it look?? Was it easy? Share your finished product below or tag me if you post it on social media! I’d love to see it! @AllisonAndersonHome